SUMMONING "Oath Bound"

How else would I be but subjective when it comes to one of my favourite projects? Honestly, I was really surprised to find out that Silenius & Protector have conceived a new album, since it had passed a long time from their last release. Well, I am glad about this new album, but "Minas Morgul" still haunts my mind! It raises up the idea that Silenius & Protector have hasted into this recent release, despite the considerable lenght of all seven tracks and the intro too! Nevertheless, it all may be tied to my own apprehension! Another fascinating feature is the way SUMMONING still enhances the epic aura, this time the sound being stressed through more aggressive and Black guitars! The melodical line is kept and the two vocals are extremely harshed as we expected! I was astonished by the masculine choral effects enhanced in "Might and Glory" and "Land Of The Dead", because of the "warrior" approach enlightens two purely original and uplifting hymns! The sound itself seems to be different, due to the integration of other instruments or, at least the imitation of other instruments! Also, while I was enjoying the first 30 seconds of one track (no. 5 as I recall it), I was under the impression of diving into DVKE realm! Not listening to this album it's absolutely forbidden, in spite the repetitive pattern we cannot avoid experiencing! Still, what the devil could someone expect conceiving after 7 albums released in about 13 years of existence? The main themes approached in this last album are once again inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth, or the world wide known "The Lord Of The Rings" or "The Hobbit".

The two artists sustain that the odd album title is linked to stories such as "The Silmarillion" or "The Unfinished Tales". Moreover, I find out that certain tracks like "Mirdautas Vras" are sung in Elf's language. I was never impressed by this kind of tales, but whether I like them or not is not relevant. The essential point is that the two have gathered the required energy to impress the Metal scene by creating such a musical project, based on Tolkien's stories, far ahead these last ones have reached the consumatory trend! More aggressive than ever before, but still Epic and Orchestral, "Oath Bound" is a pure masterpiece for SUMMONING's fans, me included! It is absolutely impossible for me to compare or mistake this project's sound with any other...I cannot tie it down to Black Metal, even if it is pure Black Metal, under a synthetic, SF curtain! The cover engraves the same mystic and delightful realm!